CLEANUP OF FAFNIR SITE TOPS $6 MILLION

The projected cost to the public of clearing the old Fafnir Bearing Co. site for a new business park has grown about 50 percent since last fall, to just over $6 million, records show.

The bulk of the money comes from state bond funds. The city's share of the project -- about $700,000 -- hasn't changed.

Essentially, demolishing the several dozen massive buildings has turned out to be trickier than officials had thought.

They said they discovered more asbestos, lead, and oil-soaked wood flooring than expected. The removal of these and other potentially hazardous materials, under the watchful eyes of state regulators, has added several hundred thousand dollars to the project.

It's as if the old factory, once the workplace of 5,000 people who turned out 100 ballbearings a minute, didn't want to let go without a fight.

The buildings have been demolished and carted away. The Torrington Co. is in the middle of testing the soil to see if it holds any nasty surprises. Work on a new business park, the centerpiece of Mayor Lucian J. Pawlak's plan to revive New Britain's economy, is scheduled to begin next June.

The Torrington Co. bought Fafnir in 1985 and turned it over to the city about two years ago. The company is still responsible for dealing with any contaminated soil or groundwater.

Added costs for an environmental lawyer, pollution insurance, security patrols, and a project manager have also driven up the project's cost.

So have contractual changes. Manafort Bros. Inc., the low bidder for the demolition project at $1.149 million, will receive about $300,000 more to remove the foundations and slabs after the Torrington Co. completes the soil and groundwater work, said project manager Edward Moriarty.

Moriarty, who works for Frank E. Downes Construction Co., said the foundation removal wasn't included in the original demolition bid because it couldn't be done until after the soil work was finished.

Moriarty said the need for that and other change orders, including about $300,000 more for Coastal Engineeering for additional asbestos removal, have been verified by project engineers and cleared by the state.

The Fafnir project's total cost has grown from $4.02 million to $6.043 million. A rise in demolition/construction expenses, from $3.119 million to $4.606 million, accounts for most of the increase.

"It's been a bit frustrating," said Moriarty. "It seemed like every time we turned around, there would be something else."

For instance, he said, broken bits of concrete that workers had planned to use to build berms on the site were deemed environmentally hazardous. The new material will cost about $75,000.

The $250,000 fee for Moriarty's firm was also an extra cost that wasn't included in the original budget for the project, said Susan McMullen, the mayor's top aide.

She said the city hired the firm because there was no one at city hall with the time and expertise to oversee the project and protect the city's interests. She said the city hired an environmental lawyer to monitor the Torrington Co. as it monitors the soil.

Company engineer Luther Longino said it'll be another two and a half months before the company learns the condition of the soil and groundwater.

"I don't expect any major problems," he said.

In the next two weeks or so, Pawlak will introduce a panel of experts who will help him shape ideas for the new business park and attract tenants.

Represented on the panel will be Central Connecticut State University, Northeast Utilities, the New Britain Chamber of Commerce, the Broad Street Neigborhood Revitalization Zone, E.C. Goodwin Technical School, the Connecticut Workforce Development Board, and the state Department of Economic and Community Development.